DeKalb’s back-to-school food giveaway will also offer vaccinations

Volunteer Fay Reid loads a car with food at The Gallery at South DeKalb mall on Friday, July 10, 2020, at a food drive organized by DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson.

Credit: Hyosub Shin

Credit: Hyosub Shin

Volunteer Fay Reid loads a car with food at The Gallery at South DeKalb mall on Friday, July 10, 2020, at a food drive organized by DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson.

DeKalb County’s upcoming back-to-school food giveaway will also offer vaccinations.

The event will be held Saturday, July 24.

In addition to 20-pound boxes of fruits and vegetables and 10-pound packages of chicken, a total of 3,500 residents will also receive single-serving packages of grits, juice boxes and cereal.

Starting at 9 a.m., food will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at five different drive-thru locations:

  • James R. Hallford Stadium, 3789 Memorial College Ave. in Clarkston
  • Buck Godfrey Stadium, 2817 Clifton Springs Road in Decatur
  • Rehoboth Baptist Church, 2997 Lawrenceville Highway in Tucker
  • Big Miller Grove Missionary Baptist Church, 3800 Big Miller Grove Way in Stonecrest
  • Berean Christian Church, 2201 Young Road in Stone Mountain

Starting at 8 a.m. the same day, free COVID-19 vaccinations will be offered at three of the distribution sites: Hallford Stadium, Buck Godfrey Stadium and Rehoboth Baptist Church.

An insurance card and identification should be presented while receiving a vaccination, if possible. Residents 12 and older are eligible to be vaccinated.

There is no requirement to receive a vaccination in order to receive food.

“Parents should protect themselves and their children from this deadly pandemic by serving healthy food and getting COVID-19 vaccinations,” said DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond said in a news release.

The county has held monthly events to help address pandemic-related food insecurity since May 2020. A total of 45,300 families have been helped through the program, which is funded by federal relief dollars, officials said.

Partners in the upcoming event include the DeKalb County School District, La Vision newspaper, First African Community Development Corp. and Saint Philip AME Church.